Copper electrodes multilayer ceramic capacitors Part II Chips fabrication, optimisation and characterisation

Abstract

In a companion paper, a ceramic formulation based on CaZrO₃ was developed to decrease the sintering temperature of this oxide. We achieved in obtaining a low sintering temperature ceramic fireable below the copper melting point while maintaining attractive properties whatever the atmosphere used (oxidising or reductive). The present paper deals with the fabrication of the copper electrodes multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC) and their optimisation. Several points have been tested to enhance the characteristics of the components. They are based on the precursors origin and the manufacturing process optimisation. These studies result in NPO components with good properties (C ∼ 30 pF/5 active layers; τ_ε = −45 ppm/K; ESR ∼ 20 mΩ at 30 MHz; tgδ < 10 × 10⁻⁴; ρ_i > 10¹² Ω · cm).